I’ve made cakes for celebs and footie players, here’s my eight tips to make your bakes shine
GREAT British Bake Off is credited with giving people a passion for pastry and craving for cakes.
The popular programme launched 14 years ago and has been cited as the driving force behind a sharp rise in the number of people taking up the hobby.
But it can often be daunting to even think about creating tasty treats when you lack the confidence or know-how in the kitchen.
With the series returning to Channel 4 this week, there’s never been a better time to get into the mix and give it a go yourself.
owner Christie Boyle, 31, has some great beginners advice on how to batter in.
She said: “It started as a hobby for me. But lots of people are seeing it as a career now.
“I have noticed more people doing baking and I think it’s great because it’s so fun and rewarding.”
Here are Christie’s EIGHT top tips for newbies.
Make Mistakes
There’s nothing wrong with messing up a cake when you’re starting out. If anything, it’ll help you perfect your craft in the long run.
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Christie says: “Making mistakes is part of the process, you’re better off just going for it.
“ If it works out well then that’s great, and if it doesn’t then you learn for the next time. Practice makes perfect so don’t let any mishaps dishearten you. It gets a lot easier. Just try it out and see how it goes.”
Don’t Break the Bank
There’s no need to splash the cash on lots of fancy equipment when you’re not a professional. There’s plenty of cost-effective ways to bake just as well without it.
Christie says: “You have places like Poundland and Home Bargains and their baking aisles are brilliant and reasonable.
“The biggest thing I’d invest in is a good set of scales. I like to measure and the way I prepare to work is measurement based. It’s the best item to have for any novice baker.”
Occasions
Don’t bake for no reason at all - make sure you have a goal in mind. It feels more important when you’re gifting someone a cake or making something for a special night.
Christie says: “I find it easier or more enjoyable if I’m interested in the subject matter. Make something you’re wanting to eat or to give to someone.
“Find a reason because then you always have more passion - like for a family birthday. There’s that social aspect where it’s very enjoyable.”
Understand Your Oven
Is your oven fan assisted or not? If you don’t know, it’s worth figuring out all of the spec before putting your cake in the oven.
Christie says: “A lot of people need to understand the temperature of their oven as it has a real impact on baking. If you have a fan assisted oven, you need to drop the temperature by 20 degrees.
“If not, it would cook much faster on the outside than on the inside and so it’s far too hot.”
No Peeking
However tempting it might be, don’t risk the success of your bake by being impatient and opening the oven to take a look prematurely.
Christie says: “Give it the proper time before you take anything out of the oven. If the recipe says it needs 40 minutes then don’t open the oven before that because it lets all the air out and that can cause the cake to sink quicker.
“That’s something that trips people up a lot and is easily avoided.”
Keep It Simple
Like anything in life, it’s good to go back to basics. Don’t scare yourself off baking by going for something really intricate right away.
Christie says: “Be confident with it because I know it can be scary if you’ve never done it before. I don’t do bread or pastries. I’m more of a cake decorator.
“Nowadays with air fryers and microwaves there’s loads of stuff you can do that isn’t a French patisserie gateaux that needs multiple layers.”
Make People Happy
Try to keep in mind that baking is supposed to be fun. If you start to get stressed, remember why you’re doing it in the first place.
Christie says: “The biggest thing for me is that it’s always satisfying to make something yourself and then see people enjoying it. That’s what makes baking so infectious and the reason so many people love it. That’s what spurs me on and why the handshake is so sought after on Bake Off.”
Keep It Clean
If you’re put off baking because of the potential mess, make sure you have a plan for tidying in advance to make life easier.
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Christie says: “My kitchen rule is to clean as you go. I’d never bake a cake from start to finish then do all of the dishes at the end.
“It’s much more manageable and better organised way to work for me and keep things tidy. I wouldn’t let mess put you off if that’s something you’ve thought about."